Wholesome Monster Train Comes to Life Through Child’s Artwork

Quick Smiles:

• An eight-year-old girl from Zutphen won the 2025 NS Drawing Competition.
• Her Sweet Monster Train design was turned into decals for a real intercity train.
• The train celebrates imagination and delighting travelers of all ages.

A talented eight-year-old girl from the Netherlands has seen her creative imagination come to life on a national scale.

Phileine from Zutphen won the 2025 NS Drawing Competition, beating out over 1,200 other young artists.

Her winning concept, titled the Sweet Monster Train, features friendly creatures designed to delight rather than scare.

She worked alongside a professional illustrator to transform her colorful drawings into large decals for the train carriages.

“From jungle trains full of animals to flying locomotives and fantasy creatures that move along the track, all drawings combined humor, fantasy and adventure,” NS wrote in a statement.

The vibrant intercity train was unveiled at Maliebaan station in Utrecht, where Phileine celebrated with her family and competition judges.

This initiative aims to spark a sense of adventure and wonder in travelers of all ages.

“Children often experience a train journey as an adventure, much more than we sometimes realize as adults,” the operator shared.

“By focusing on their imagination and really bringing one dream train to life, we show how special travel can be through children’s eyes.”

Traveling by rail just became more magical thanks to a child’s artistic vision and the support of a national railway.

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